Cheers!

If this introduction seems short and to the point, we apologize. But the truth is, we’re tired. Very tired. We’ve attempted to experience all of Sacramento’s nightlife—or at least a large sample of it—and we’ve failed miserably. Not because we’re hermits who can’t walk into a bar without having convulsions, but because there is just too much going on after dark in this city.

Even with six weeks of lead time, we found ourselves crossing events and venues off our list because we didn’t have time to get there. The fact that this very publication has expanded its Arts&Culture section should tell you that the entertainment scene here is big, and only getting bigger. Musicians we talked to in the course of our researching told us that Sacramento’s music scene is bursting with homegrown talent, new bands that feed off the creative energy of other acts they see around town.

We know we can’t come close to covering all the entertainment options available in Sacramento within 24-pages, but we hope after reading this issue of Cheers!, you’ll find some unfamiliar territory to explore this weekend. We on the other hand will be getting some much needed rest.

Sacramento’s music scene, take three
Three experts tell us their favorite places to dance, hear live music or play American Idol with a karaoke machine

Bar-hop through time
No, it’s not a bad Star Trek episode. Take an historic pub tour through some of Sacramento’s most venerable watering holes

A week in the (night) life
You’ll need a month of Sundays (and Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays) to take in all the entertainment Sacramento has to offer

Project Manager: Joy Webber
Writer: Alexis Raymond
Copy Editor: Nicholas Miller
Designer: Tim Towles
Cover Photo: Don Button
Photos: Jill Wagner